Adolescence star Erin Doherty has directly addressed and dismissed the popular online rumors that she is in line to become the Sixteenth Doctor in Doctor Who.
In a recent interview, the actor clarified that despite fan enthusiasm and betting odds, there have been no talks about her joining the long-running series. This statement comes as the BBC confirms the show’s future with a 2026 Christmas Special written by showrunner Russell T Davies, but many details about the next full season and its lead actor remain unknown.
Erin Doherty’s Direct Response to Doctor Who Speculation
The rumor that Erin Doherty could be the next Doctor gained significant traction online, with fans and betting sites listing her as a favorite candidate. Doherty has now directly addressed this speculation.
“I’ve heard the Doctor Who rumour, and I’m into sci-fi and fantasy, but I can honestly say there have been no discussions,” Doherty told Radio Times.
This clear statement confirms that Doherty has not been approached for the role and is not currently involved in any secret plans to take over the TARDIS. She acknowledged understanding why fans made the connection, given her interest in the genre, but shut down the idea as purely speculative.
Why Fans Linked Erin Doherty to the Doctor Who Role
The rumors connecting Erin Doherty to Doctor Who were not random. They were fueled by her rising profile and acclaimed performances in several major television roles.
Doherty first gained widespread attention for her portrayal of Princess Anne in the Netflix series The Crown. Her career reached a new level with the Netflix drama Adolescence, where her performance as clinical psychologist Briony Ariston earned her an Emmy win and a Golden Globe nomination. This role, in particular, showcased a depth and quiet intensity that led many fans to believe she could bring a compelling new energy to the Doctor.
Her upcoming project, the second season of Disney+’s period crime drama A Thousand Blows, further demonstrates her range. In it, she plays Mary Carr, the leader of a real-life all-female gang in London. This ability to transform across different genres made her a believable and exciting fan choice for the iconic, ever-changing Time Lord.
The Current State of Doctor Who’s Future
Today’s date is 2026-01-02. The landscape for Doctor Who is in a period of transition, which has amplified fan speculation about casting.
The BBC has officially confirmed that the show will continue. The next confirmed episode is a Christmas Special in December 2026, written by Russell T Davies. This special is known to star Billie Piper. Piper appeared in a regeneration scene at the end of Ncuti Gatwa’s final episode, leaving viewers to question if her character, Rose, had actually become the new Doctor. The 2026 special is expected to address this cliffhanger directly.
A major change behind the scenes is that Disney+ will not continue its co-production partnership with the BBC after the upcoming mini-series The War Between the Land and the Sea. The 2026 Christmas Special and any future seasons will be produced by BBC Studios and Bad Wolf independently. The BBC has stated that plans for the next full series will be announced “in due course”.
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Other Popular Fan Theories and Speculation
With Doherty ruling herself out, other fan theories about the show’s future continue to circulate widely on social media and fan forums.
A prominent theory suggests that David Tennant could return once more for the 2026 Christmas Special. This idea grew after Tennant participated in a BBC interview celebrating the 20th anniversary of his first full episode as the Doctor. On a podcast earlier in 2025, Tennant did not rule out a return, stating it “would depend on what the circumstances were”.
On the official Doctor Who Facebook page, fans are actively discussing possibilities. One popular fan theory posits that the special will involve Billie Piper’s character seeking help from the Fourteenth Doctor (Tennant), who is living with Donna Noble, leading to a multi-Doctor adventure. Other fan-cast names mentioned in discussions include Robert Carlyle, Tom Ellis, and Michael Sheen.
The production has also had to contend with fake leaks. Actor Paul McGann recently had to publicly debunk AI-generated images that claimed to show him and Billie Piper filming together for the special, calling out the false reports.
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